*New Delhi:* In a Direct threat to PAF, IAF to buy 110 advanced fighterjets worth $15 billion.
The IAF is planning to acquire 110 new fighter jets. India will purchasenew foreign fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF), General BipinRawat said as the Chief of Defence Staff.
However, a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) for the mega deal, valued atover USD 15 billion, is yet to be issued. The IAF has new budgetaryconstraintslinkgiventhat it saw a drop in its capital funds allocation in the latest UnionBudget.
The IAF is considering proposals for Dassault Aviation’s Rafale, Boeing’sF/A 18, Lockheed Martin’s F-21, the Eurofighter Typhoon, SAAB’s Gripen E,and the Russian MiG-35 and Su-35.
CDS Gen Rawat said that it is important for defence services to accept anindigenous product over a foreign-made one even if it meets only 70-80 percent of the required parameters as contracts bind the forces for years.
“It is important to hand-hold the domestic industry. Upgrades can come likeMark 1, 2 or 3,” he said. The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and theDefence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have already beginwork on Tejas Mark II.
The CDS explained that by placing large orders with foreign companies,forces can’t switch to the domestic industry that may be capable of makingthe same technology a few years after a contract is finalised.
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“Why do you think only 36 Rafales were bought,” Gen Rawat said, citing thedeal as an example. On whether this meant that more Rafales could bebought, the CDS said everything depended on what requirements need to bemet at the time.
Gen Rawat’s comments come at a time the IAF is set to place an order withthe state-run HAL for 83 Tejas Mark 1 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).
There has been speculation that India will buy another 36 Rafales, whichwill be cheaper than the ones signed for in 2016, and depend on the LCAMark IA and Mark II and the indigenous Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft toboost IAF’s strength.
India bought 270 Su-30 MKIlinkfromRussia in staggered contracts beginning in the late 90s, delivery of whichis yet to be completed. The initial order was for 140 aircraft.
